Results 21,441-21,460 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (12 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: 714. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an increase in jobseeker's allowance will be made in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32359/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome our guests and thank them for their frankness. We might agree with some of it but we have to ask questions as well. Pay parity is not something we can renegotiate in public. It is a matter between the relevant bodies, the HSE and the Minister. It would be inappropriate to suggest what should be done. With whom are we competing for places in the international sphere to attract...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: Why are those countries also having difficulty recruiting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: Worldwide.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: Why are they finding it difficult to recruit in their own countries if they are that good themselves?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I mentioned the Middle East because there seems to be anecdotal evidence that medical staff go to the Middle East for a variety of reasons. Is that true or false?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: What is the primary factor in that respect?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I agree in the context of the political decision but, as we all know, it was taken out of necessity. Otherwise, the country would not have survived. Everyone was affected by it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I apologise for interrupting again. The population has increased. That is correct and it means we have to increase our spend. The fact is, however, that, in comparison with other OECD countries, our level of expenditure is already fairly sizeable. It is not at the bottom of the scale by a long shot. My question was whether the witnesses can give us some indication as to why our delivery...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I am sorry to interrupt. I have just a quick point. Waiting lists are not a new phenomenon in this country. There were waiting lists ten, 15 and 20 years ago. What I am a little concerned about is this: we do not seem to have come up with a model that allows for a free, rapid flow of people through the system. I was one of those who called for the reintroduction of outsourcing because...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I am sorry, Chairman, but this is not rocket science, and we are not addressing that part of it at all. It is not all about money; it is about organisation as well. It might not be the Irish Medical Organisation's problem; it may well be the fault of the HSE, which I have blamed, as the Chairman knows, for being inept and ineffective. That is the way it is-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: -----but, unless we soon deliver to the public, the Chairman and I, as public representatives, will also become obsolete, and that is a serious problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: There were those who suggested taking out more beds.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: In the medical profession.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: We have asked the people to quantify the precise deficiencies in capacity at each level. We cannot make a major contribution to this debate unless we know that, and we must find out soon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I know have. I am still anxious to come in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: We are all pursuing the same objective. We are trying to get a system that works seamlessly, flawlessly and smoothly from the patient's point of view. What we deliver has to be from the patient's point of view. If we do not deliver that, we are not successful. Incidentally - it is not fundamental to this argument - politicians have not been recompensed following the cuts nor should they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: No, if that were applied to other parts of the public or private sector there would be much talk about it and nobody would complain.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I will come to that in a minute.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Services: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Bernard Durkan: I have asked about the role of the primary care centres many times. I still do not know and no one seems to be able to tell me why the intervention of the primary centres has not shown a visible improvement in the delivery of services to the patient at local level. Given the extensive nature of the facilities, I thought the intervention would have been of benefit to the patient who did not...